Hays Post
GARDEN CITY – Hays High’s Harley Zimmerman remained unbeaten on the season, winning the 144 pound weight class at the 66th Rocky Welton Invitational hosted by Garden City High School. Dalton Meyers placed sixth at 190, Jonathan Rigler seventh at 175 and Elijah McCullough finished eighth at 113. The Tigers finished 15th in the team standings with 103 points.
Rose Hill won the team title with 176.5 points, 14 more than second place Pueblo East (Colo.). Maize finished third and Garden City fourth.
After receiving a first-round bye, Zimmerman (30-0) won by fall over Silas Arnds of Vista Ridge, Colo. in the second round. He defeated Garden City’s Logan Avalon by a major decision in the quarterfinals, won by major decision over Ben McAllister of Millard West in the semifinals then defeated Brayson Salinas of Ulysses by fall in the finals.
Meyers (25-5) also received a first round bye then won by major decision over Demetrius McGriff of Pine Creek, Colo.in the second round. In the quarterfinals Meyers lost by fall to Andale’s Isaiah Wilson. Meyers came back to beat Pine Creek’s Matthew Geri by major decision in the consolation fourth round. He won by major decision over Dominic Benavidez of Pueblo East in the fifth round consolation before losing by fall to Great Bend’s Trenton Kern. Meyers lost by sudden victory to Valley Center’s Steel Schomaker in the fifth place match.
Jonathan Rigler (22-10) won 11-5 over Kearney’s Dylan Peisiger in the first round. He then lost by fall to Andale’s Ian Aouad in the second round. He bounced back to win the next three matches, the first two by fall and third by forfeit, Rigler lost a 5-2 decision to Dilan Ruiz of La Junta, Colo. in the consolation fifth round then won an 8-4 decision over Great Bend’s Aidan Davidson in the seventh-place match.
McCullough (26-5) won his first two matches by fall before losing by technical fall to Randall’s Michael Ruiz in the quarterfinals. McCullough came back to defeat Kearney’s Jameson Small by sudden victory. He lost a tough 3-1 decision to Olathe North’s Jaxson Scott in the consolation fifth round then dropped a 2-1 decision to Valley Center’s Braxton Moody.